Differences in how we operate phone calls overseas and back home are influenced by the culture of etiquette. Originating in French (i.e. “estiquette”) means sticking to rules as required by King Louis 14th’s court during the 17 century. A Swahili equivalent is “adabu” – itself hailing from Arabic “adab”… When people from home call, the…

Near the bus stop, a group of males and females are laughing, chatting, holding vessels of alcohol. As the bus rolls in, the group hops in, each clutching Strongbow cider cans like weapons of mass destruction. Seated on the upper deck of this red London bus, behind you, the gang laugh and talk animatedly. Conversation…

As Lent and Ramadan continue, many families in Arusha and across Tanzania are turning to lighter, plant-based meals, warm soups and herbal drinks. A common question I receive during clinic hours is: Can garlic, turmeric and ginger help stop early flu – especially when symptoms begin in the throat? Let us examine the science calmly…

Recent media coverage across East Africa has highlighted one of the most serious financial crises the EAC has experienced since its revival in 2000. Some media houses went as far as suggesting that the organisation was on the brink of collapse. This troubling situation has been caused by arrears amounting to $89 million with the…

Anaemia is a common health problem in children that often goes unnoticed. It occurs when a child’s blood contains too few healthy red blood cells or insufficient haemoglobin, the protein that carries oxygen throughout the body. Without enough oxygen, the body and brain cannot function optimally, which can affect growth, learning and overall health. The…

Any country contemplating leaving the East African Community (EAC) would do well to think twice before making such a move. Granted, it is not a perfect co-operation pact but admittedly it remains one of the most advanced intergovernmental partnerships on the continent. During the recently concluded Summit, the former Chair, President William Ruto of Kenya,…

Defamation in Tanzania occurs when a person makes a false statement that harms another person’s reputation. The law recognises two main forms: libel (written or published statements) and slander (spoken statements). These are governed primarily by the Defamation Act and the Penal Code. For a defamation claim to succeed, the claimant must prove three key…

After days of gentle rain, open grassland covered most of the area. When the sun returned, the African White-backed Vulture — a bird of prey and a scavenger of the savannah — was circling high in the sky where the thermals were strongest. It was using rising columns of warm air to gain altitude and…

The military attack against Iran by the United States and Israel has revived fears of a wider conflict—one whose consequences could reverberate across the entire planet. Global peace, economic stability, and the lives of millions who have no stake in the quarrel may now hang in the balance. Yet the decision to wage such wars…

This is a reflection on what is important in our life, the priorities we should seek versus the transient things that should be a bridge to those priorities. I have chosen the terms “big things and small things” not because the small things are not necessary, but because we are called as humans to transcend…